Tomorrow, the Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence will hold a hearing examining efforts to detect and deter terrorist travel in light of the evolving threat to the homeland from al Qaeda, its affiliates and other terrorist organizations.

Subcommittee Chairman Peter King (R-NY) on the hearing: “Fourteen months ago, this Subcommittee held a hearing on the threat posed to the Homeland from al Qaeda-aligned elements, particularly in Syria. Since that time, the situation has dramatically worsened, as the number of al Qaeda affiliated and jihadist groups has multiplied to a scope that has engulfed Iraq. Thousands of Westerners, including over 100 Americans, have flocked to the region to join Islamist groups. With stunning speed, the group formerly known as al Qaeda in Iraq has been resurrected as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, and established what it calls a caliphate that spans large portions of Iraq and Syria. It is essential that the White House articulates American interests in the region and elicits greater cooperation from European and foreign partners to identify and track individuals seeking to join extremist groups. This hearing will examine the threat posed to the homeland, as well as additional security measures and policies that should be considered.”